Harrogate

Harrogate's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in religion, housing tenure and health.

The population reached nearly 160,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Harrogate increased by 4.3%, from just over 151,000 to 158,000.

The addition of about 6,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Harrogate was home to, on average, 0.86 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Harrogate

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Harrogate increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This agricultural area had a higher average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 4,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 5,000.

About 12% of people in Harrogate are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Harrogate

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 74% said they were Christian. An increase from 85% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Harrogate.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the percentage of people who described themselves as Christian fell from 79% to 64%, while across England the percentage went from 78% to 64%.

Around 25% of those who disclosed their religion in Harrogate said they had no religion, up from 14% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, up from 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation rose from 7.5% to 7.6% between the last two censuses.

In Harrogate, 7.6% chose not to disclose their religious affiliation. In Yorkshire and The Humber the percentage was 7.4% and across England the percentage was 7.7%.

The population who identified as Christian in Harrogate decreased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Harrogate

The proportion of married people fell in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 52% to 47%.

During this period, Harrogate overtook North Lincolnshire and Richmondshire to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of married people.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Craven.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.7% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Harrogate residents that were studying increased from 2.5% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55% in 2001. The percentage of Harrogate residents that were unemployed increased from 1.9% to 2.6%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Harrogate without children remained close to 63% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 28%, while the percentage of households in Harrogate with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.2% to 8.4%.

The proportion of households without children increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 61% in 2001 to 62% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Ryedale and Selby.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the proportion of people working long hours fell from 13% to 9.4% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in York (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Harrogate) fell from 11% to 8.4%.

Long hour working was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Harrogate

The percentage of Harrogate residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Harrogate residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.3% to 7.4%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (which remained close to 90%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than in nearby York.

In Harrogate, the proportion of private renting increased from 12% in 2001 to 18% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby York increased from 9.9% to 18%.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of privately rented homes increased from 9.1% to 16%.

The rate of social housing in Harrogate remained close to 9.1%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 75% to 71%.

Private renting in Harrogate increased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Harrogate residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 3.8% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72% in 2001. The percentage of Harrogate residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Harrogate decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Harrogate

In 2011, 96% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. An increase from 98% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Harrogate.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the percentage of residents from the White ethnic groups fell from 93% to 89%, while across England the percentage went from 91% to 85%.

Around 1.5% of people in Harrogate said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 0.5% in 2001. About 1.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from 0.7% 10 years prior.

The percentage of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups rose from 0.2% to 0.7% between the last two censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Harrogate decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Harrogate residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 50 (1.8%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Harrogate remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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